Spinneret punching machine



R. A. THOMANN -ETAL SPINNERET PUNCHING MACHINE April 11, 19 56 8Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1953 Wm NW Zmventors (Ittorneg April 17,1956 R, THOMANN EI'AL SPINNERET PUNCHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledAug. 5, 1953 n OOQOOOOOOQOQvQOOOOQOOOQQ 3nventors u n w u u u a DUAHWHHVQWNH HHMH A Q% RV ,6: wrolva A. THO/IANA/ JEAN Mme/E 6. Vnvcz-7v7(Ittorneg April 1956 R. A. THOMANN ETAL 2,742,088

SPINNERET PUNCHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 5, 1955 April 17,1956 R. A. THOMANN ET AL 2,742,038

SPINNERET FUNCHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 5, 1953 w mwr m N3% WW A 6 X M m (Ittorneg A ril 17, 1956 R, THOMANN EI'AL 2,742,085

SPINNERET PUNCHING mums Filed Aug. 5, 1953 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Snventors/PA wva/vp A. 76 /1/4/V/V attorney April 17, 1956 R, THOMANN ETALSPINNERET PUNCHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Aug. 5, 1953 Snventors(Ittomeg n .1 I M Lllllllli April 17, 1956 R, A. THOMANN ETAL 2,742,088

SPINNERET PUNCHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1953 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 2/4MASTER SW/ 7" C H 20 ANPLIH R l l v I n 2 2/9 lnnentor;

attorney Unite tates Patent O SPINNERET PUNCHING MACHINE Raymond A.Thomann and Jean Marie G. Vincent, Besancon, France, assignors toTextile and Chemical Research Company Limited, St. Peter, Port ofGuernsey, Channel Islands, a corporation, of Great Britain ApplicationAugust s, 1953, Serial Nip-372,452 Claims priority, application FianceApril a, less 12 Claims. c1. 164--115) This invention relates to anapparatus for perforating spinnerets which are used in the manufactureof artificial textiles from alkaline solutions by means of acid baths,and is a modification and improvement over the spinneret punchingmachine disclosed in the co-pending application of our Serial No.235,164 which was filed on July 5, 1951, now U. S. Patent No.2,709,492,.

The apparatus, as disclosed herein, is especially designed for punchingspinnerets used in the manufacture of rayon filaments wherein thespinnerets have such a small number of holes therein, ranging in numberfor,

has been punched and then automatically insert a blank spinneret in themachine-in position to be punched.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the aforesaidcharacter in which the sequential operations thereof are controlled byan intermittently advanced perforated tape.

holes thereon and take several hours ICE removal of a punched spinneretfrom the anvil and the insertionof a blank spinneret thereinto;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail vertical section taken on the line 8- -8of Fig. 7 and showing the selector disc discharging a blank spinneretinto the chute for delivery to the anvil;

Fig. .9 is an enlarged plan view of a spinneret having a detail verticalsection taken on theline 6- 6 two concentric circular rows of holespunched therein;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail vertical section showing the manner inwhich the punch embeds itself in the spinneret and produces a burr onthe outer surface thereof each time the punch descends;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 9and showing how the holes are formed in the spinnerets by grinding burrsfrom the outer surface thereof;

Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are fragmentary diagrammatic views showing thepositions of various parts of the apparatus during different operationsthereof; and

'Fig. 15 is a wiring diagram of the mechanism for automatically stoppingthe operation of the apparatus in the event a punch is broken duringoperation.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters the numeral 1indicates a base having an upwardly extending U-shaped bracket 2 rigidlysecured thereto adjacent oneend thereof and an upwardly extending leg 3rigidly secured thereto adjacent the other end thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ina I chine of theaforesaid character in which the intermittent advancement of theperforated tape is effected by the upward movement of a verticallyreciprocal punch slide.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in an automatic spinneretpunching machine of the character described, means operative toautomatically stop the opcration of the entire machine in the event apunch is broken during operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide with a machine ofthe aforesaid character a rotatable turret having a plurality of storagemagazines mounted thereon from which blank spinnerets are withdrawn andfeed into.

the machine, andmeans to automatically advance successive magazines intodischarging position as each preceding magazine is emptied ofspinnerets.

, Other objects of the invention willbe apparent from the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings forming apart thereofwherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an automatic spinneret punching machineconstructed according to our invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view thereof, the plane of the section beingindicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken substantially on theline 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially on the line4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation, partiallyin section,showing the punch slide and punch raised One end of a horizontal table 4is pivotally secured by a pivot stud 5 to the upper end of the bracket2, and the other end of the table 4 is slidably mounted upon the upperend of the leg 3 by a wear plate 6 which is removably secured to theunderside of the table 4 by screws 7.

The table 4 beyond the leg 3 is held against an eccentric cam 8 by atension spring 9 having one end thereof connected to a pin 10 carried bythe table 4 and the other end thereof connected to the upper end of apin 11 carried,

by the base 1. The cam 8 is adapted to be slowly rotated a few degreesat a time by a motor 12 through suit able reduction gearing 13 as willbe described hereinafter.

A relatively large spur gear l6 which is rotatably mounted upon thetable 4 by a stud shaft 17 has an anvil 18 rigidly secured to the upperface thereof for rotation therewith. The anvil 18 has a cup-shapedrecess 19 in the upper end thereof in which a spinneret 20 is mountedduring the punching thereof. The spinnerets 20, which are usually madeof pure platinum or an alloy thereof, seat firmly on a disc 21 of asofter metal, preferably aluminum, disposed in the bottom of the recess19. The gear 16 meshes with a similar gear 24 secured to the upper endof a hub 25 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing aperture 26 in thetable 4. A bevel gear 27 which is keyed to the lower end of the hub 25beneath the table 4 meshes with a bevel pinion 28 secured to one end ofa short shaft 2h which has a worm gear 30 secured to the other endthereof and is the underside of the table 4. The worm gear 30 mesheswith a worm 33 carried by the armature shaft 34 of a motor 35 which isbolted to the underside of the table 4. The gear 16 and with it theanvil 18 are adapted to be intermittently rotated through a few degreesat a time as for the purpose hereinafter described.

A bevel pinion 36, similar to the pinion 28, which is secured to one endof a short transverse shaft 37 rotatably mounted in a bearing bracket 38secured to the underside of the table 4, also meshes with the bevel gear27 amaoss and is driven thereby. The other end of the shaft 36 isconnected by a pair of universal joints 39 to a squared shaft 4% whichis slidably mounted in a complementary recess 41 in the hub of a spool42 which is rotatably mounted between a pair of spaced supporting arms45, which extend upwardly from an'elongated frame 46 carried by thebase 1. it will thus be seen that whenever the anvil 13 isintermittently rotated by the motor 35, the spool 42 will besimultaneously likewise rotated.

An endless perforated tape 47 is mounted upon idler rollers 48 and 49carried by the frame 46 at opposite ends thereof. The tape 47 passesover the spool 42 and is'firmly pressed into engagement therewith byspring fingers t and 51 carried by the frame 46 and disposed on oppositesides of the spool 42. The spool 42 has sprocket teeth 52 adjacent eachend thereof which engage perforations 53 along each side of the tape 47to advance the tape whenever the spool 42 is rotated. It now becomesapparent that whenever the anvil 18 is intermittently rotated the tape47 is simultaneously advanced. The tape 47 has four spaced parallellongitudinal rows of perforations 56, 57, 5S and 59 therearound whichare cut in accordance with the patterns of holes being punched in thespinneret. Four resilient fingers 6t), 61, 62 and 63 which are disposedabove the tape 47 in vertical alignment with the rows of perforations56, 57, 58 and 59 respectively extend outwardly from a casing 66 andterminate substantially vertically above the axis of the spool 42. Thefingers 60, 61, 62 and 63 carry downwardly extending feelers 67, 68, 69and 70 respectively which ride upon the tape 47 and enter successiveperforations therein as they come under the feelers, the feeler 67carried by the finger 60 being positioned to enter successiveperforations in the row 56, the feeler 68 carried by the finger 61 beingpositioned to enter successive perforations in the row 57, the feeler 6?carried by the finger 62 being positioned to enter successiveperforations in the row 58, and the feeler 79 carried by the finger 63being positioned to enter successiveperforations in the row 59. Thefingers 69 to 63 and the feelers 67 to 70 carried thereby cooperate withthe rows of perforations 56 to 59 in the tape 47 to control thesequential operation of the apparatus in automatically punchingsuccessive spinnerets as will be explained hereinafter in connectionwith the sequential operation of the apparatus.

A vertical frame 73 is secured to the base 1 and extends upwardlytherefrom behind the table 4 with the upper end 74 thereof overhangingthe table 4. A punch slide 75 is slidably mounted for verticalreciprocation above the anvil 13 in a suitable guideway 76 in theoverhanging upper end 74 of the frame 73. The lower end of the slide 75carries a punch holder 77 in which a punching tool 78 is removablysecured by a set screw 79. A hopper 80 having a quantity of smallweights 81, preferably lead or iron shot or discs, therein is secured tothe projecting upper end of the punch slide 75. A rack 82 which issecured to the rear face of the slide 75 adjacent the upper end thereofmeshes with a pinion gear 83 which is pinned to a transverse shaft 84rotatably mounted in the overhanging upper end 74 of the frame 73. Alever 87 carrying a roller 38 in the bifurcated lower end thereof isoperatively connected to the shaft 84 through an overrunning clutch 89which is mounted on one end of the shaft 84 between a collar 85 and aspring washer 86 thereon. The roller 38 is adapted to be en gaged by acam 91 which is secured to one end of a transverse shaft 92 which isrotatably mounted in the frame 73. The other end of the shaft 92 has alarge spur gear 93 secured thereto which meshes with smaller gear 94mounted on a stud 95. The gear 94 has secured thereon a gear 3 6 whichmeshes with a small pinion gear 97 carried by the armature shaft 38 of amotor 99 which is suitably mounted upon the frame 73. The motor 99 whenenergized will, through the gear train just described, rotate the shaft92 and cam 91 at a greatly reduced speed,

and thereby oscillate the lever 87. The movement of the lever 87'fromlow position on the cam 91, as shown in Fig. 12, to high positionthereon, as shown in Figs. 4 and 13, will rotate the shaft 84 and gear83 counterclockwise (Fig. 4) which through the rack 82 will raise thepunch slide 75, and parts carried thereby, up from punching position, asshown in Figs. 4 and 13, to its normal elevated position, as shown inFig. 14. The movement of the lever 87 back from high position on the cam91 to low position thereon will allow the slide to drop by gravity fromthe position shown in Figs. 4 and 13 to the position shown in Fig. 12under the influence of the weighted hopper 80. The arrangement of theoverrunning clutch 89, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, is such that if therotation of the cam 91 is stopped in the position shown in Figs. 4 and13 the slide will be kept from descending from normal elevated position,but yet is free to be raised up beyond normal elevated position to theposition .shown in Fig. 14 in order to permit the removal of a punchedspinneret from the anvil 18 and the insertion of a blank spinnerettherein. The slide 75 carries a pivoted arm 102 which is adapted tomomentarily close a switch 163, mounted on the frame 73, as the slidereaches its normal elevated position as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 13.During the downward movement of the slide 75 the arm 102 is inoperativeto actuate the switch 103.

The punching tool 78 comprises a shank 104 which is inserted into theholder 77, and carries the elongated cylindrical punch 165 having thehemi-spherical lower end 106. The punch 105 is made of any suitablematerial which is harder than the material of the spinneret, preferablyextra hard steel. Each time the punch slide 75 descends the punch 105 isdriven into the inner surface of the bottom 107 of the spinneret whichproduces a burr 108 on the outer surface thereof which is driven intothe soft metal pad 21 in the anvil 18 upon which the spinneret isseated, all as shown in Fig. 10. After a spinneret has been completelypunched it is automatically removed from the anvil 18 after which theburrs 108 are ground off, leaving sharp edged holes 109 extendingthrough the bottom of the spinneret as shown in Fig. 11.

Various types of mechanisms, either pneumatic or mechanical, may be usedfor removing a punched spinneret from the anvil. As shown herein thismechanism comprises an arm 112 which is secured to the upper end of avertically reciprocal shaft 113 which is rotatably mounted in an axialbore 114 through the hub 25 of the gear 24. The outer end of the arm 112terminates in a jaw 115 to which an opposing jaw 116 is pivotallysecured at 117. A spring 118 yieldingly holds the jaw 116 closed asshown in full lines in Fig. 2. The lower end of the shaft 113 isrotatably connected, as shown at 119, to the upper end of a rod 121)which is slidably but non-rotatably mounted in a guide 12.1. The lowerend of the rod carries a Pin 122 which rides in a cam track 123 in theperiphery of a circular cam disc 124 which is rotatably mounted on thelower end of a vertical shaft 125 which is supported by a bracket 126secured to the under side of the table 4. A bevel gear 127 is rotatablymounted on the shaft 125 adjacent the upper end thereof, and a spur gear128 is mounted on the shaft 125 between the bevel gears 127 and the camdisc 124. The gear 127 and 128 and the cam disc 124 are all rigidlyconnected together to rotate in unison. The spur gear 128 meshes with agear 131 of the same pitch diameter which is slidably keyed on the shaft113. A compression spring 132 which is disposed about the shaft 113between the gear 131 and the connection 119 yieldingly biases the shaft113 downwardly and holds the gear 131 against vertical movement. Thebevel gear 127 meshes with a pinion gear 133 secured to one end of ahorizontal shaft 134 which is rotatably ounted. in. bearing brackets 135secured to the underside of the table 4. A pinion gear 136 similar tothe pinion gear 133 is secured to the opposite end of the shaft 134.

The shaft 134 is adapted to be rotatedi by a motor 137 through asuitable speed reducer 138, pinion gear 139 carried thereby, and bevelge it 140 which is fixed on the shaft 134 in mesh with the pinion 139.The motor 137 is mounted in a U-shaped hanger 141 which is secured toand extends downwardly fromthe underside of the table 4. Since the gears128 and 131 have the same pitch diameter one revolution of the bevelgear 127, and with it the gear 128 and cam disc 124, will simultaneouslyimpart one revolution to the shaft 113 and the arm 112 carried thereby.1

Before a punched spinneret can be removed from the anvil 18 the slide 75and the punch 78 carried thereby must be raised up above their normalelevated position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 13, to the position shown inFigs. Sand 14 in order for the spinneretto clear the punch as it isbeing removed. For this purpose we secure a lever 144 tothe end of theshaft 84 opposite the clutch 89 and provide a cam 145 which is rotatedthrough a speed, reducer 146 by a motor 147 mounted on the frame 73.After the slide 75 and punch 78 have been raised from punching positionshown in Fig. 12 to their normal elevated position shown in Fig. 13 bythe cam 91 as previously described, the cam 145 will engage and raisethe free end of the lever 144 and rotate the shaft 84 and gear 83 stillfurther thereby raising the slide 75 and punch up from the positionshown in Figs. ,3 and 13 to'the position shown in Figs. 5 and 14. Thespring washer 86 is pro vided to cause the lever 87 to rotate with theshaft 84 and leave the cam 91 during this further rotation of the shaft84 and thereby put the movement of the slide 75 back and forth betweenthe position shown in Figs. 13 and 14 entirely under the control of thecam 145.

After the last hole to be punched in a spinneret has been punched themotorv 99 and cam 91 will raise the slide 75 tothe position shown inFig. 13 and stop, after which the motor 147 and cam 145 will raise. theslide 75 still further to the positionshown in Fig. 14 and sto p therebyholding the slide in this position; The motor 137 will then rotate thecam disc 124 counterclockwise one revolution and the shaft 113 andarm112 clockwise one revolution and then stop with the cam disc l24 andarm 112 back in their normal at rest positions. As the arm 112 rotatesthe jaws 115 and 116 will grasp the spinneret-20 in the anvil 18 betweenthem under theannular flange 150 around the top'of the spinneret. As thejaws 115 and 116 engage the spinneret 20 the pin 122 on therod 121.willride up the sharp incline 151 in the cam track 123 Which will raise theshaft 113 and arm 112 and lift the spinneret up out of the anvil, itbeing understood that the jaws 115 and 116 are of sufiicicnt length topermit the lifting of the spinneret from the anvil beforethe closedsemi-circular with which'the lower open ends ofthe magazines are adaptedto register, and the bed plate 170 has an aperture 172 therein withwhich the aperture 171 in the selector disc 168 is adapted to registeronce each revolution of the selector disc. inclined. chute 173'issecured to the bed plate 170 under the aperture 172. The lower end ofthe chute 173 is disposed adjacent the anvil 115 in position to'discharge spinnerets, sliding down the chute, into the anvil. 18. The 2normal at rest position of the selector disc 168 is with the aperture171 therein in register with the lower end of the magazine 160. As theaperture 171 is brought into register with magazine 160 the lowermostspinneret in the magazine drops into the aperture 171 and rests on thebed plate 170. Then when the selector disc is rotated counterclockwiseit slides the spinneret in the aperture 171 out from under the magazine1611 and carries it around to the aperture 172 in the bed plate throughwhich it drops into the chute 173 as shown in Fig. 8. The selector disc163 is also rotated by the motor 137 and shaft 134 Whichro'tate the camdisc 124 and arm 112. The gears 136 and 169 through which the tubularshaft 165 and selector disc 168 are rotated from the shaft 134 have thesame ratio to each other as the gears 133 and 127 through which the camdisc 124 and arm 112 are rotated from the shaft 134. .The selector disc163, cam disc 124 and arm 112 are therefore all rotated one revolutionin unison With' each other. The at rest position of the aperture 171 inthe selector disc 168 is so positioned with respect to the aperture 172in the bed plate 178 that a blank spinneret will not be delivered to thechute 173 by the selector disc 16 8 before the punched. spinneret hasbeen withdrawn from the anvil18 by the arm 11.2 and jaws 115 and 11 6.

As the blank spinnerets are discharged from the chute 173 onto the anvil18 they seat lightly in the top of the cup-shaped recess 19 in anvil 18and must be pushed down inthe recess 19 onto the pad 21 therein beforethey can .be punched. For this purpose we mount a end 152 of the jawsengages the spinneret. The continued movement of the arm 112 carries theremoved spinneret to the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 2where, a downwardly extending cam lug 153 carried by the pivoted jaw 116engages a fixed abutment 154 which opens.

up the jaws and drops the spinneret being carried thereby into adischarge chute 155.

Blank spinnerets to be automatically delivered to the anvil 18 arestored in three magazines 160, 161 and162 carried by a rotatable turret163 secured to theupper end of a shaft 164 which extends up through atubular shaft 165* which is'rotatably mounted in; a vertical post 166secured to one end of the table 4 by feet 167. A selector disc 168 issecured to the upper end of'the tubular shaft 165for rotation therewith,and a bevel gear 169 is secured to the lower end of the tubular shaft165 under the table 4 in mesh with the bevel pinion 136 carried by theshaft 134. The selector disc 168 is disposed directly under the turret163, with the upper surface thereof lightly contacting the lower openends of the magazines 160 to 162, and rests upon a circular bed plate170 secured to and extending outwardly from the upper end of the post166. The selector disc 168 has a circular aperture 171 therein arm 112.The presser arm 176 is so positioned with respect to the arm 112 that itwill be brought over the anvil 18 just after a blank spinneret hasbeendelivered thereto, and just as the vertical section 177 of the cam'track 123 reaches the pin 122 carried by the slidable rod 120. Thespring 132 will then quickly depress the shaft 113 and presser arm 176and press the blank spinneret down onto the pad 21 in the anvil.

After the blank spinneretsin onemagazine have been exhausted the turret163 is automatically rotated to bring the next magazine into position todischarge spinnerets into the aperture 171 in the selector disc 163. Forthis purpose we secure a gear 131) to the. lower end of the shaft 164which meshes with a pinion gear 181 which is driven by a motor 182-through a speed reducer 183. The energization of the motor 182 iscontrolled by a photoelectric cell 184 and a source of light 185 whichare mounted upon a bracket 186 secured to the bed plate 170. Theselector disc'168 is provided with a small bore 187 which intersects theaperture 171 and is in alignment with the photoelectric cell 184 andlight source when the selector disc is in its normal at rest position asshown in Fig. 7. After the selector disc has delivered the lastspinneret in a magazine to the chute 173 and returned to normal at restposition light from the source 185 is The upper end of a downwardlyavenues turret 163 with a loaded magazine in positionto have spinneretswithdrawn therefrom.

The sequential operation of the apparatus will now be described inconnection with the drawing, it being assumed that when last used themachine was stopped with a blank spinneret in the anvil 13, the table 4and anvil 18 in position for the inner circle 190 of holes (Fig. 9) tobe punched, and the slide 75 and punch 78 in normal elevated position asshown in Fig. l3. A master switch is closed which puts the machine inoperation. The slide 75 and punch 78 descend under the influence of theweighted hopper '10 and punch the first hole in the circle of holes 190,as shown in Fig. 12, after which the motor 99 raises the slide and punchback to normal elevated position. As the slide reaches normal elevatedposition the finger 102 momentarily closes the switch 103 which throughsuitable relay and switching means stops the motor 99 and starts themotor The motor 35 then rotates the anvil 18 and spinneret therein intoposition for the next hole to be punched in the circle 190 andsimultaneously advances the tape 47 until the feeler 68 on the finger 61drops into the next advancing perforation in the row 57 thereof, whichthrough suitable relay and switching means effects the. stopping of themotor 35 and the starting of the motor 99. The slide and punch thendescend topunch the next hole in the circle 190. This operation is thenautomatically repeated under control of the switch 103 and tape 47 untilthe last hole in the circle 190 has been punched.

As the tape 47 is advanced during the dwell of the slide in normalelevated position after the last hole in the circle 190 has been punchedthe feeler 67 on the finger 60 drops into a perforation in the row 56which through suitable relay and switching means effects the running ofthe motor 12 until the eam'8 has moved the table 4 about its pivot 5sufficiently to shift the anvil 18 into position for the second row 191of holes (Fig. 9) to be punched. The operation described in connectionwith the punching of the first circle 190 of holes is then repeateduntil all of the holes in the second row 191 have been punched, afterwhich the feeler 70 on the finger 62 by dropping intoa perforation inthe rows 58 in the tape 47 effects, through suitable relay and switchingmeans, the operation of the motor 147 to first raise the slide and punchup beyond normal elevated position and hold them there as shown in Fig.14, while the punched spinneret is being removed from the anvil and ablank spinneret is being supplied to and inserted in the anvil, and thenreturn them to their normal elevated position shown in Fig. 13.Simultaneously therewith the feeler 70 on the finger 63 by dropping intoa perforation in the row 59 effects, through suitable relay andswitching means, the operation of the motor 137 to remove a punchedspinneret from the anvil 18 and insert a blank spinneret thereinto. Thesequential operations described are successively repeated for eachspinneret punched.

During operation the very small punch ends 105 become fatigued andeventually break which renders it necessary to immediately stop theoperation of the ma chine in order to prevent mutilation of a spinneretand to replace the broken punch. We therefore provide means, which isresponsive to a broken punch, to automatically stop the operation of thewhole machine whenever a punch breaks, which will now be described inconnection with Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 15 of the drawing.

A disc 195 having a boss 196 thereon is secured to the end of the shaft84, adjacent the clutch 89, for rotation therewith. A pair of spacedspring arms 197 and 198 are carried by an insulating block 199 which issecured to the frame 73. The free ends of the arms 197 and 198 overliethe disc 195 with the arm 197 in the path of movement of the boss 196 soas to be engaged thereby and carry opposed normally separated contacts200 and 201. A lever 202 is pivotally mounted, intermediate the endsthereof, upon a bracket 203 secured to the frame 73, One end of thelever 202 is disposed between the spring arms 197 and 198 and the otherend thereofis operatively associated with a relay 204, also carried bythe bracket 203, in position to be attracted by the relay 204 when it isenergized. The lever 202 is operative to push the lower end of thespring arm 198 outwardly from the arm 197 and thereby separate thecontacts 200 and 201 still further.

Referring now to Fig. 15, the arm 198 is connected by a lead 205 to oneside 206 of the line, and the arm 197 is connected by a lead 207 to oneend of the winding of a relay 208, the other end of which is connectedby a lead 209 to the other side 210 of the line. The relay 208 isoperatively associated with a normally closed switch 211 in the lead 112through which current is supplied to the various operating motors of theapparatus. The master switch 214 by which the operation of the apparatusis manually initiated and terminated is also interposed in the lead 112.Whenever the contacts 200 and 201 carried by the spring arms 197 and 198are closed the relay 208 will be energized and open the switch 211 whichwill cut off the supply of current to the whole apparatus and thus stopthe operation thereof.

One side of a source of current 215 is connected to the punch 78 by alead 216, and the other side thereof is connected to a spinneret 20, inthe anvil 18, through an amplifier 217 by the leads 218 and 219. Theoutput side of the amplifier 217 is connected to the relay 204 by theleads 220 and 221. Each time the end 106 of the punch contacts thebottom 107 of the spinneret 20 a circuit is established through theamplifier 217 which energizes the relay 204 and rocks the lever 202thereby pushing the lower end of the arm 198 outwardly from the arm 197and separating the normally separated contacts 200 and 201 stillfurther. During normal operation of the apparatus with an unbrokenpunch, the end 106 of the punch contacts the bottom of the spinneretjust before the 'boss 196 on the disc engages the spring arm 197.Therefore when the boss 196 contacts the arm 197 the arm 198 and contact201 thereon have been already moved 'so far away from the arm 197 andcontact 200 thereon that the boss 196 cannot flex the arm 197sufiiciently to bring the contact 200 into engagement with the contact201. The relay 208 will therefor not be energized and the apparatus willcontinue to operate. But if the punch breaks at the point A, the usualbreaking point, the boss 196 will engage the arm 197 and close thecontacts 200 and 201 before the punch engages the bottom of thespinneret, due to the then longer travel of the punch before engagingthe spinneret. The relay 208 therefore is energized which will open theswitch 211 and stop the machine. After the broken punch has beenreplaced the switch 211 must be manually rc-set before operation can beresumed.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in this art thatwe have provided a relatively simple and highly efficient apparatus foraccomplishing the objects of the invention.

It is to be understood that we are not limited to the specificembodiment of the invention shown and described herein as manymodifications may be made in the construction thereof within the spiritof the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine for punching spinneret blanks comprising a table, an anvilrotatably mounted upon said table and adapted to hold a spinneret blankduring punching, a vertically reciprocal punch slide disposed above saidanvil, a punch carried by said slide in position to engage said blankupon each downward movement thereof, a first motor operative tointermittently raise and lower said slide, a switch adapted to beactuated by said slide during each elevation thereof, a perforated tapehaving a longitudinally aligned row of perforations and adapted to beintermittently advanced, a feeder mounted in polition to entersuccessive holes in said tape as said tape is advanced, a second motorrotate said anvil and'advance said tape, operative when actuated toeffect the deenergiza'tion of said first motor and the energization ofsaid second motor, said-tapeand 'feelerbeing operative to subsequentlyeifect the deenergization of said second motor and the energization ofsaid first motor.

2. A machine for automatically punching spinneret blanks comprising ahorizontal pivotally mounted table, an anvil rotatably mounted on saidtable, a vertically reciprocal punch slide disposed above said anvil, apunch carried by said slide in position to engage a spinneret in saidanvil each time said slide descends, a perforated movable tape, meansoperative to intermittently reciprocate said slide, means operative'torotate said anvil a predetermined amount at predetermined times, meansoperative to'move said table about its pivot a predetermined amount atpredetermined times and thereby shift said anvil with respect to saidpunch, means operative to remove a punched spinneret from said anvil,and means operative to movesaid tape, said tape being operative as it ismoved to sequentially control the reciprocation of saidslide, therotation of said anvil, the movement of said table, and the removal of apunched spinneret from said anvil.

. 3. A machine for automatically punching spinneret blanks comprising ahorizontal pivotally mounted table, an anvil rotatably mounted on saidtable, a vertically reciprocal punch slide disposed above said anvil, apunch carried by said slide in position to engage a spinneret in saidanvil each time said slide descends, a storage magazine from which blankspinnerets are adapted to be withdrawn, a perforated tape adapted to beintermittently advanced, means operative to intermittently reciprocatesaid's'lide, means operative to rotate said anvil a predetermined amountat predetermined times, means operative to move said table about itspivot a predetermined amount at predetermined times and thereby shiftsaid anvil with respect to said punch, means operative to remove apunched spinneret from said anvil, means operative to withdraw aspinneret blank from said magazine and deliver it to said anvil after apunched spinneret has been removed from said anvil and means operativeto intermittently advance said tape; said tape being operative as it isadvanced to sequenttially control the reciprocation of said slide, therotation of said anvil, the movement of said table, the removal of apunched spinneret from said anvil, the withdrawal of a blank spinneretfrom said magazine and the delivery thereof to said anvil, and theintermittent advancement of said tape.

4. A machine for automatically punching spinneret blanks comprising ahorizontal pivotally mounted table, an anvil rotatably mounted on saidtable, a vertically reciprocal punch slide disposed above said anvil, apunch carried by said slide in position to engage a spinneret in saidanvil each time said slide descends, a storage means from which blankspinnerets are adapted to be withdrawn, a perforated tape adapted to beadvanced, means operative to intermittently reciprocate said slide,means operative to rotate said anvil a predetermined amount atpredetermined times, means operative to move said table about its pivota predetermined amount at predetermined times and thereby shift saidanvil with respect to said punch, means operative to remove a punchedspinneret from said anvil, means operative to withdraw a spinneret blankfrom said storage means and deliver it to said anvil after a punchedspinneret has been removed from said anvil and means operative toadvance said tape; said tape being operative as it is advanced tosequentially control the reciprocation of said slide, the rotation ofsaid anvil, the movement of said table, the removal of a punchedspinneret from said anvil, the withdrawal of a blank spinneret from saidmagazine and the delivery thereof to said anvil, and the intermittentadvanceoperative to simultaneously said switch being 10 ment of saidtape; said storage means comprising a'rotat' able turret having aplurality of magazines mounted there on in which blank spinnerets arestacked, and means opera ative to intermittently rotate said turret tosuccessively advance a filled magazine to spinneret discharging positionupon the withdrawal of next preceding magazine.

5. A machine for automatically punching spinneret the last spinneretfrom the blanks as defined in-claim 4 inwhich the rotation of saidturret is controlled by a photoelectric cell which is responsive to thepresence or absence of' a spinneret blank inthe magazine which is inspinneret blank discharging position.

6. A machine for automatically punching spinneret said storage meansperforated tape adapted to be advanced, means operative tointermittently reciprocate said slide, means operativev to rotate saidanvil a predetermined amount at predetermined times, means operative tomove said table about its pivot a predetermined amount at predeterminedtimes and thereby shift said anvil with respect to said punch, meansoperative to remove a punched spinneret from said anvil, means operativeto withdraw a spinneret blank from said magazine and deliver it to saidanvil after a punched spin-.

neret has been removed from said anvil, means operative to advance saidtape; said tape being operative as it is advanced to sequentiallycontrol the reciprocation of said slide, the rotation ofsaid anvil, themovement of said, table, the removal of a punched spinneret from saidanvil,

the withdrawal of a blank spinneret from said magazine and the deliverythereof to said anvil, and the intermittent advancement of said tape; amanually operable master switch by which the operation of said machineis manually initiated and terminated, a normally closed switch disposedin series with said master switch, and means responsive to said punchand operative to automatically open said normally closed switch upon thebreaking of said punch.

8. A machine for automatically punching spinneret blanks comprising ahorizontal pivotally mounted table, an anvil rotatably mounted on saidtable, a vertically reciprocal punch slide disposed above said anvil, apunch carried by said slide in position to engage a spinneret in saidanvil each time said slide descends, a storage means from which blankspinnerets are adapted to be withdrawn, a perforated tape having aplurality of longitudinally aligned rows of perforations therein adaptedto be intermittently advanced, a plurality of feelers one beingassociated with each row of perforations in position to enter successiveperforations therein as said tape is advanced, means operative tointermittently reciprocate said slide, means operative to rotate saidanvil a predetermined amount at predetermined times, means operative tomove said table about its pivot a predetermined amount at predeterminedtimes and thereby shift said anvil with respect to said punch, meansoperative to remove a punched spinneret from said anvil, means operativeto withdraw a spinneret blank from said magazine and deliver it to saidanvil after a punched spinneret has been removed from said anvil andmeans operative to intermittently advance said tape; said tape and saidfeelers being operative as said tape is advanced to sequentially controlthe reciprocation of said slide, the rotation of said anvil, theintermittent advancement of said tape, the movement of said table, theremoval of a punched spinneret from said anvil, the withdrawal of ablank spinneret from said magazine and the delivery thereof to saidanvil.

9. A machine for automatically punching spi-nneret blanks as defined inclaim 8 in which the reciproca: tion of said slide the rotation of saidanvil and the ad: vanccment of said tape are controlled by one of saidrows of perforations and the associated feeler, the move ment of saidtable is controlled by another of said rows of perforations of theassociated-feeler, and the removal of a punched spinneret from saidanvil and the withdrawal of a blank spinneret from said storage meansare controlled by-still another of said rows of perforations and theassociated feeler.

10. A machine for punching spinneret blanks comprising a horizontalpivotally mounted table, an anvil rotatably mounted upon said table andadapted to hold a spinneret blank during punching a verticallyreciprocal punch slide disposed above said anvil, a punch carried bysaid slide in position to engage said blank .cacn down- Ward movementthereof, a first motor operative to intermittently'raise and lower saidslide, a switch adapted to be actuated by said slide during eachelevation thereof,

a tape having a plurality of perforations therein and adapted to beintermittently advanced, means associated with said tape in position toregister with successive perforations in said tape as said tape isadvanced, a second motor operative to simultaneously rotate said anviland advance said tape, a third motor operative to move said table aboutits pivot to shift said anvil with respect to said punch, meansincluding a fourth motor operative to remove a punched spinneret fromsaid anvil, said switch being operative when actuated to effect thedeenergization of said first motor and the energization of said secondmotor, said tape and said first means being operative to subsequentlyefle'c't the deenergization of said second motor and the energization ofsaid first motor, and to control the energization of said third andfourth motors.

11. A machine for punching spinneret blanks compris ing a rotatablymounted anvil adapted to hold a spinneret blank during punching, avertically reciprocal punch slide disposed above said anvil, a punchcarried by said slide in position to engage said blank upon eachdownward movement thereof, means operative to intermittently raise andlower said slide, a perforated tape having a longitudinally aligned rowof perforations and adapted to be intermittently advanced, a feedermounted in position to enter successive holes in said tape as said tapeis advanced, and means controlled by said tape and feeder operative tosimultaneously rotate said anvil and advance said tape.

12. A machine for automatically punching spinncret blanks comprising ahorizontal rotatable'auvil, a'vertically' reciprocal punch slidedisposed above said anvil, a punch carried by said slide in position toengage a spinneret in said anvil each time said slide descends, aperforated rnovable tape, means operative to intermittently reciprocatesaid slide, means operative to rotate said anvil a predetermined amountat predetermined times, means operative to shift said anvil laterallywith respect to said punch a predetermined amount at predeterminedtimes, means operative to remove a punched spinneret from said anvil,and means operative to move said tape, said tape being operative as itis moved to sequentially control the reciprocation of said slide, therotation of said anvil, the lateral shifting of said anvil, and theremoval of a punched spinnerct from said anvil.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UN TE STATES P TENTS 318,049Smith "ever-Janeen May 19, 1885 944,790 De Kleis su -"a e"? Dec. 2.8,1909 2,148,221 Schneider Feb. 21, 1939

